


Palm to Palm is Archer's Kiss

by Violette_Pleasures



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Explicit Sexual Content, First Love, First Time, Loss of Virginity, Love at First Sight, M/M, Thranduil welcomes the dwarves to mirkwood, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-19
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2017-12-29 21:03:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1010080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violette_Pleasures/pseuds/Violette_Pleasures
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU in which Thranduil welcomes the dwarves to Mirkwood in an attempt to mend relations. Kili becomes very uninterested in the political talks when he spies a lovely elven archer smiling at him from across the table. Kili can't help but be drawn to this beautiful creature.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all~ 
> 
> So this is my second fic I've uploaded here. I felt pretty good about it ^_^ I'm sorry its kind of long for a one shot. And also the title, I just couldn't resist! ^_^' 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy, and any and all comments are appreciated so I can better my writing. Thank you

The great hall of Mirkwood was festive and lively, as well as it could be with elves and dwarves sharing the same room. The sudden appearance of Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves and hobbit, had caused murmurs throughout the caves of the King of the dark forest. They had showed up on the first day of Autumn as well, a day of celebration for the Silvan elves, and rather than be hostile, though  
communication was strained, Thranduil had seen fit to invite the dwarves to the celebration. Even seating Thorin, Fili, and Kili at the head table as his guests.  
  
Kili sat uncomfortably at the table half listening to his brother and uncle hash out the political matters of other realms with the king, carefully avoiding discussion of their own short comings. He had never been one for this sort of thing; he was too brash and clumsy with his words when he became embroiled over matters that meant a lot to him. Instead he sat sipping his wine, terrible stuff really, and looking about the room. He noticed the others from his party had all settled in at a table near Thorin, should anything suspicious happen, no doubt.  
  
As he finished scanning the room, his eyes fell on a young elf seated at his own table. He had long, silvery hair that hung down to his waist like gossamer silk, pale skin, so fair it was almost translucent, and bright, blue eyes. Kili looked him over with much interest. He wasn't particularly fond of elves, but there were few who would contest this particular elf's entrancing beauty. The young elf sat sort of slumped in his chair, similar to Kili, not really looking as if he felt a part of the goings on either. A long, slender finger absent mindedly traced the rim of his wine goblet and that's when Kili noticed the calluses, archer's calluses. 'He must be part of the king's personal guard,' he thought to himself, for indeed the flaxen haired elf was sitting but two spaces away from the king, just behind the marchwarden and Thranduil's chief counselor.  
  
Kili was so lost in thought, that he hardly noticed the very subject of his ponderings smiling at him from across the table. Kili started a bit and stared back a little wide-eyed before regaining his composure. The elf only smiled wider and made motion to leave the table, inviting Kili with his eyes. Kili stood clumsily, staring after the elf. Fili paid little attention as his brother left his side, as the other guests were rising and walking about in the cool night air.  
  
Kili wandered about the halls for a moment, having lost sight of the object of his attention. Suddenly, he felt a cool hand come to rest on his shoulder. He whirled around to come face to face with the beautiful elf.  
  
"Hello," he spoke softly and inclined his head a little towards the dwarf, his gentle smile still playing on his lips. "I am Legolas."  
  
"I'm uh...I'm Kili." Kili proffered his hand, waiting for the elf to grasp his forearm, but he was only met with a curious gaze. "You shake it..." More questioning looks. "Here, like this." Kili grasped the elf's hand, feeling a little nervousness flutter in his stomach, and placed it on his forearm. "Now, you shake."  
  
The young elf flushed a bit, whether from nervousness or embarrassment, Kili couldn't tell. "That is interesting..." He smiled a bit more enthusiastically. "This is how the elves say hello." Legolas placed a hand over his  heart and bowed at the waist. Kili mimiced his movements. A small, tinkling laughter escaped the elf's lips.  
  
"What?" It was Kili's turn to flush.  
  
"Nothing!" Legolas waved his hands in front of himself. "I'm just excited,I guess...I've never met a dwarf before. I didn't even know there were dwarf archers!"  
  
"Of course there are dwarf archers!" Kili blurted indignantly. "We're just more rare! Special!" He puffed his chest out a bit.  
  
Legolas snorted a bit trying to hold back his laughter, but his eyes twinkled with tears. He covered his mouth quickly, trying to not be disrespectful,eyes widening a bit, but not disguising the mirth shining in them. "Sp-special?" He giggled the words out.  
  
Normally, he would have been furious, but the young elf's laughter was gentle and infectious and soon Kili joined him. "My uncle always told me that," he wiped tears from his eyes. "I think he was just trying to make me feel better that I terrible at the battle axe. And the broad sword. And throwing knives." He laughed at himself. "How did you know I was an archer anyway? "  
  
"The same way you know I'm an archer." Legolas reached his hand out, palm facing Kili; the dwarf reached his own hand up and placed it palm to palm with the elf's. The elf blushed deeply and he swallowed hard, his pulse quickened, Kili could feel it through his fingers.  
  
Kili locked his deep, chocolate eyes on Legolas's pale, topaz ones. They stood looking upon one another without speaking for a long moment. His heart began to thunder in his chest as he became oddly aware of something. He was attracted to him. To Legolas. To an elf!  
  
"I-I'm sorry...I seem to be feeling a bit faint. Too much wine maybe?" Legolas broke the intense, almost intimate, gaze they were sharing. He laughed again, but this time it was breathy and nervous. "Would you mind accompanying me to my quarters? I'd like to rid myself of these formal robes. They're so heavy, you know." He lifted his heavily embroidered, pale blue, velvet robes as if to show Kili their  monumental weight.  
  
"Ah...yeah...yes, of course." Kili swallowed again. His earlier nervousness came back to him now as he followed after the ethereal being before him.  
  
Legolas made small talk, describing the themes each corridor was based upon, where the indoor gardens were, who the artists were that made the elaborate paintings and tapestries covering the walls. Kili felt as if he were in a dream, outside of the sweet tones of Legolas's voice and the elf himself, everything else was blurry, whirling colors, the sounds of rustling velvet, as they rushed down the walkways.  
  
"And here, are my private quarters." Legolas pushed open two heavy, mahogany doors, inlaid with mithril leaves and instantly Kili was welcomed by the smells of sandalwood, myrrh and honeysuckle. Inside was a large, four-poster bed draped in silver and green sheer fabric, a few cozy looking velvet covered chairs set before a fire place, a desk and a square table laden with fruit and flowers at the center of the room.  
  
"I'll just be a minute, please, make yourself at home. Thank you for escorting me." The beauty smiled shyly over his shoulder at Kili and shuffled off into another room, unfastening the clasps of his robes as he went.  
  
As soon as the blonde was out of sight, Kili sank into a chair and breathed out heavily. He ran his fingers through his hair to calm himself. He had never been attracted so intensely to anyone; the young dwarf wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through the elf's hair, caress his soft skin and kiss his cool and slender fingers.  
  
Kili stood and decided to walk about the room. He slid his hands over the smooth, rich woods of the well crafted furniture and felt the soft silks of the bedding. Such fine things would be only for royalty, by dwarven standards, but he had always thought elves were prissy and overly decadent, so he thought nothing of items of this quality being present in a guard's room in Mirkwood.  
  
The sound of singing caught his attention and he turned his gaze to the open side door where Legolas had disappeared. His breath hitched in his chest. Through the tumbling, feather light fabric of the curtains, the elf stood, shirtless, wearing nothing but grey leggings and forest green boots. He was singing softly to himself; it was the most beautiful sound Kili had ever heard. He had undone his elaborate plaits and his long, silvery hair hung freely, gently flowing in the breeze. His exposed flesh was milky and appeared satiny and flawless.  
  
Kili moved closer to the door, his heart was in his throat and he felt his arousal stir. He felt wrong in sneaking and looking on his new friend, but with him there and so erotically enticing, he couldn't look away. Again, looking through the cloud-like curtains  coupled with Legolas's otherworldly singing, Kili felt as though he were in a dream.  
  
"Kili..."the angelic, lilting voice was carried so softly on the breeze, Kili thought maybe he had imagined it until he caught the glittering gaze of two blue jewels regarding him from across the dressing room. Legolas turned slowly to face the young dwarf. Kili felt his burgeoning sex pressing into the front of his leggings at the sound of the elf's voice and the sight of his perfect body. The flaxen haired beauty outstretched and offered his hand to the gaping brunette. "Come, meldiramin...saes..."  
  
Kili stepped forward with a small amount of trepidation; he had never been intimate with anyone, he had never really had the desire. But here, standing before him, this amazing creature had him completely enthralled and his sweet smile beckoned to him. He smiled awkwardly looking up through his long, dark lashes with his warm brown eyes into the face of his new acquaintance and took the elf's hand, pulling him closer. He wrapped his arms about the waist of the lithe form against him.  
  
"You are so beautiful, my friend...I've never seen anyone so fair..." Kili reached up and brushed his fingertips over Legolas's cheek. The elf shivered at his touch.  
  
"Nor I you." Legolas sighed as the dwarf's fingers ran down his neck, over his collarbone, and down his chest. "You're so exotic, meldir...your dark hair and amber eyes...your commanding stature..." The elf began softly stroking Kili's muscular shoulders, moving up to his face to play with his stubble.  
  
His whole body was alight with desire and he couldn't stand it any longer. Kili snaked his hand up to the back of the elf's neck and pulled him in for a kiss. Their lips crashed together in a bruising, passionate kiss. Legolas moaned into Kili's mouth, parting his lips, welcoming his friend to taste of him. The young dwarf delved his tongue into the warm, honey-depths of the elf. He pulled Legolas down to his knees as he continued kissing him, cupping either side of his face.  
  
Legolas made quick work of Kili's belt, straps and bracers, tossing them causally to the floor, and began working talented fingers on the rest of his coverings. Kili stepped back, never losing eye contact, and hurriedly stripped down to his leggings and boots.  
Legolas's eyes widened at the sight of Kili's bare chest. The dwarf gently grasped his hands and placed them on the dark fur of his chest. The elf ran his fingers through the curly hair, petting Kili gently. One of his pale fingertips ran over the dwarf's nipple eliciting a low moan; he flicked his eyes up, making sure the brunette was alright. He was met with  encouraging smirk from Kili.  
  
Kili began exploring the body of the one before him, running his fingers over the elf's shoulders, down his arms, grasping one of his small hands. He brought the slender fingers to his mouth, making sure he had Legolas's gaze, and pressed a kiss to each of the pads. The dwarf couldn't believe how sweet he tasted, like nectar, and he drew one the beauty's fingers into his mouth and began sucking lazily upon it.  
  
Legolas moaned and pressed his body further into Kili. The feeling of their bodies sliding together and the dwarf's mouth on him was almost more than the elf could handle. He brought his free hand up and tugged Kili's hair to bring him into another inflamed kiss. Amidst the kissing and grasping at one another, Legolas felt something hard and hot pressing into his stomach; he subconsciously undulated his own hips, pressing his awakening member into the young dwarf's thigh.  
  
Kili pulled back to catch his breath, he was panting and already covered in a thin sheen of sweat. He smiled nervously at his friend who gazed back at him with lust darkened eyes. It was all Kili needed to push forward. He gently placed kisses along the elf's jaw line heading towards his ear. He flicked his tongue over the lobe and the sweet, seductive sigh that followed went straight to Kili's groin. He began gently rutting against the toned, hairless abdomen of the blonde.  
  
Deft fingers slid into the band of the dwarf's leggings, meandering in the curls that grew above his sex. It was torture. Kili growled low in his throat eliciting more shivers from his flaxen haired friend. He moved to the tip of the elf's ear and suckled and nibbled gently upon it. Legolas gasped and moaned audibly at the tingling sensation that seemed to reverberate through his entire being.  
  
"Rise." He commanded, urging his friend to his feet. Once standing, Kili began pressing kisses and little licks to the elf's chest. Watching his face, the young dwarf began laving his tongue across one of Legolas's erect pink nipples.  
  
"Aiya! Amaelmin!" Legolas felt his knees buckle slightly at the attention Kili's hot mouth was giving him; strong arms slid up to support the elf about his hips.  
  
"Are you alright?" Kili looked worriedly at the delicate being.  
  
"Yes...I'm fine." The elven archer smiled, his breathing a bit excited. "Saes...please, mellon nin...don't stop."  
  
Kili felt a soft hand press into his erection over his clothing. His breath hitched and released in a hiss between his teeth. The elf looked into his friend's eyes, as if asking permission to continue; he rubbed little circles over the bulge and stroked it, fanning the flames in the brunette's groin. "Oh Mahal..." Kili tilted his head back in pleasure. Soon, that same hand had unlaced his breeches and was yanking them down to release his heavy length; Kili sighed in relief. Legolas leaned forward, closing the height distance a bit, and grasped it gently and began stroking it languidly.  
  
"You're so big, lirimaer." The elf regarded the dwarf's considerable length.  
  
Kili blushed. "I'm not that big, really..." He looked off, a bit embarrassed. "My uncle and brother are larger..."  
  
Legolas looked a bit wide-eyed. "Bigger? Valar! How do they--" he shook his head. "Nevermind."  
  
Kili couldn't help but smile at his friend's innocence. He slid his hands around to the front of the elf's leggings and, with trembling hands, unlaced them while laying kisses along his prominent hip bones. Legolas rocked his hips softly into the kisses and Kili slowly worked the tight-fitting pants down until the elf's slender sex sprang free, jutting prominently from his abdomen. There was a downy patch of hair growing at the root of his arousal, the only hair Kili seemed to find on the elf, and he pressed his lips to it, relishing its eider feel.  
  
Above him Legolas was panting and shaking, his sapphire depths locked on the dwarf; the elf traced his lower lip with his tongue, wetting it. "C-can we move to the bed, melamin? I don't think I can stand much longer." A small smile tried to form itself on his lips, but his mouth seemed more interested in the taste of his new friend.  
  
The look Legolas gave him sent precum dribbling from his engorged member. "Here," Kili removed his boots and breeches quickly and lifted the trembling elf into his arms.  
  
Legolas yelped in surprise. "You're very strong, liriamer." He wrapped his arms about Kili's neck. "Thank you."  
  
Kili rushed to the bed and and tossed the elf onto the springy mattress. He grabbed first one boot, then other, and slowly removed the elf's shoes, pressing his lips to the other's instep and toes. The elf giggled softly, a wispy excited laugh, music to Kili's ears. He began working the leggings down next, applying kisses to Legolas's creamy thighs as he shakily uncovered perfect flesh.  
  
Kili climbed atop his new, his first, lover visibly shaking as the skin of their legs and chest came into contact. "I'm sorry...I've never done this before." He flushed at this, hoping the elf wouldn't send him away or mock him for trying to bed him.  
  
"I've never...lain with anyone before, either melethron." Legolas looked up through long lashes shyly. "It's alright; we can figure this out...together." The elf grasped one of Kili's hands and entwined their fingers reassuringly.  
  
"Legolas..." Kili nuzzled his nose against his lover's, smiling like a fool. He placed a light kiss, full of gentility and love, on the elf's cheek. He felt so happy, so inexplicably full of joy that this beautiful creature was giving himself to him.  
  
With newfound passion, Kili kissed and nibbled his way back down the lithe body of the elf beneath him, stopping briefly to give his nipples special attention. He slid off the edge of the bed and grabbed the elf's hips and pulled him closer till his buttock hung slightly off the edge. Kili gazed at his lover's erection a moment before grasping it in his hand and stroking it slowly. Legolas moaned and thrust his hips into Kili's hand.  
  
After a moment, Kili worked up his courage and slid his warm tongue along the underside of elf's length and finally took it into his mouth, bobbing his head up and down, tasting his lover. He was so sweet! Legolas bucked his hips and drew his breath in quickly, releasing it in a high keen that sent shivers down the dwarf's spine.  
  
"K-Kili! Valar!" The blonde continued singing his lover's praise, whispering words of endearment and undying affection in both Westron and Sindarin. His mind was a garbled mess and Kili , his eyes, his lips, his mouth, was the only thing clear to him. "Amin mella lle, lirimaer!"  
  
The young dwarf couldn't ignore his own weeping arousal any more and pulled his mouth off his friend for a moment to fist it furiously. The elf whimpered at the loss of contact and raised his head up to see what had drawn Kili's attention. "Sorry," Kili muttered. "It was starting to get painful."  
  
"No, no meleth," Legolas slid off the bed a bit tipsy and weak kneed and urged Kili to sit on the bed. "It is I who should be sorry, I have been selfish, melethron." The elf kneeled before his lover and slid his hands up his thighs to his hips and dug his fingers in.  
  
Kili's heart was racing as he watched the elf's hands upon him, lovingly looking into his blue eyes. Without out pause, Legolas kissed the tip of Kili's rigid member, not a sweet kiss, something darker, more deviant. The dwarf groaned as his lover pleasured him, opening his mind and body to things he never knew existed. He placed a hand a top the flaxen mane before him and pet him softly, murmuring words of pleasure and encouragement. He felt the beginnings of release building within him. "Stop...stop, mizimel..."  
  
Legolas sat back on his heels, head cocked to one aside. "What's wrong? Am I not doing it properly?" He licked at a drop of pearly essence from the corner of his mouth, savoring it. "Mmm. You taste so good..."  
  
Kili swallowed hard, this elf was going to be the death of him. "No, trust me, you are doing magnificently. It's just...I'm close. And I'd hoped we could...together." He blushed furiously and tried looking away, but Legolas caught his face in his slender hands, kissing him sweetly.  
  
"That would make me happy as well, pen velui." Again he graced Kili with his heart breakingly beautiful smile as he climbed back up on the bed and lay on his back. The blonde let his legs slowly fall open, offering himself to the brunette. "Come, I want you, Kili."  
  
He wondered how the elf made his name sound like poetry as he climbed between his toned but dainty legs. "Are you sure this is what you want? To be bedded by a dwarf? "  
  
"More than anything lirimaer. And you aren't a "dwarf" to me...just another soul. Another soul I'm inexplicably drawn to." He reached long fingers up and brushed away a lock of sable hair from his friend's face.  
  
"Do elves know magic?" Kili asked huskily.  
  
"Of sorts I suppose." Legolas answered, turning to reach for a vial of oil he kept on his nightstand for his bow strings. "Why?"  
  
"Because since I have seen you, I feel as though you've had me under some spell. And that any moment now I'll wake up and-"  
  
"Shh shh." The elf placed a finger to the to the dwarven archer's lips. "I do not know that kind of magic, so do not think of it." Smiling softly, he placed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Lie with me, bury yourself in me, find your release with me." Legolas arched his back and pressed his weeping member into Kili, undulating his hips.  
  
Kili popped the lid off the oil and spread it generously along his reddening length. With shiney, oiled fingers, he reached between Legolas's legs, searching for entry. As strong fingers came upon the tight ring of muscle, the elf sighed and gripped Kili's shoulders, trembling. The young dwarf froze, looking deep into his partner's eyes. "You will tell me if it hurts?"  
  
"Y-yes." Was the lilting, breathy reply uttered from the Silvan's full lips.  
  
He massaged Legolas's entrance slowly in gentle circular motions, occasionally dipping his finger inside until Kili had worked it in to the third knuckle. The tight heat that greeted the dwarf made him groan in approval.  
  
"Ai, Kili..." The elf writhed on his finger, encouraging him to move. Legolas's mouth was slack and his eyes were heavily lidded as he moaned out his pleasure for the dwarf's ears.  
  
Kili added a second finger and felt the beauty's breath catch in his alabaster chest, his rosy nipples standing erect and begging for stimulation. The elf released the breath in a quiet moan and continued moving himself on Kili's fingers. Slowly, the dwarven prince removed his fingers and smirked at the whined complaint that came from the Silvan beauty at the sudden feeling of emptiness.  
  
"I think you're ready...Men eleneku menu o bepap opetu ezirak" The young dwarf positioned himself at the well oiled and stretched entrance of the lithe elf, prodding it gently.  
  
Legolas rose slightly off the bed, wrapping his arms around Kili's neck and buried his face in his dark locks. "Saes...melethron..."  
  
Kili gently nudged a bit further and felt his member beginning to be swallowed by Legolas's velvet heat. "Mahal, Legolas..."  
  
Legolas pushed himself further into the dwarven archer, grasping at him. His mind was blank except for the sensation of his friend slowly filling him. "Kili!" His lover's name became a mantra he chanted over and over.  
  
With one quick snap of his hips, Kili buried himself to the hilt inside the elf. It felt so amazing that he lost himself for a moment before he slowly began withdrawing. The elf's nails dug into the flesh of his shoulders and Kili grunted at the pleasant added sensation.  
  
"Amin mella lle!"  
  
"Men lananubukhs menu" Kili whispered as he stroked his lover's back and kissed the tip of his delicately pointed ears.  
  
The silvery elf writhed at every kiss, every touch of his exotic lover's mouth and fingers. "Gods, Kili..."The dwarf's name rolled from his lips like silk, intermingling with their soft moans and sighs creating an ethereal symphony.  
  
Kili laid the elf back onto the bed, as best he could with their height difference, and lifted his legs over his shoulders. He grunted as he grabbed Legolas's hip with one hand and thrust deeper, relishing the new position. Once balanced, the young dwarf reached down and took the beauty's precum slicked sex in his hand and stroked it in time with his thrusting.  
  
Legolas whimpered while Kili pleasured him. "I am...so close, lirimaer..." He reached out a pale hand and stroked the brunette's stubble.  
  
"M-me too, beloved..." The dwarven prince kissed the elven archer's experience toughened palm. "Should I pull out?"  
  
"No...saes, I want it inside me." The elf panted out his response as his body began tensing for release. With some fumbling, he dropped his legs from Kili's shoulders to his hips and brought their mouths together in a heated kiss, rolling his hips faster against the young dwarf.  
  
"As you wish, dearest." Kili snapped his hips with purpose now, his body shaking as he felt his orgasm rushing upon him. He grabbed Legolas's hips in both hands and pounded into him groaning loudly as he reached his completion, spilling his warm, thick seed inside the elf's hot passage.  
  
The Silvan elf arched his back as he felt the wads of seed released inside of him. "Valar!" He moaned loudly as Kili took his length back up and stroked it faster; he clutched the silk sheets and cried out as his lover milked his release from his worn body, splattering his fair chest with ropes of pearlescent seed.  
  
Kili collapsed atop Legolas's glistening body and breathed heavily, inhaling his first time lover's scent and savoring the feel of the warriors body beneath him. He slid out of the elf as he softened with a wet slurp that made both of them blush. He rolled off the blonde with much effort and pulled him close, ignoring the sticky mess between them. After his breathing calmed, a huge smile spread across his face and he placed a finger under his friend's chin, tilting him up for a kiss.  
  
"You're smiling, meleth. What's so amusing?" The elf smiled his own graceful grin.  
  
"Nothing...I'm just so happy!" Kili laughed a little and hugged the elf tighter.  
  
Legolas's bell-like laughter tinkled in the night air. "Me too!" He hugged the dwarf back. "I feel like I'm glowing."  
  
"So, did it feel good?" Kili asked nervously.  
  
"Yes, better then I could ever have imagined." Legolas sighed as if to emphasize his contentment.  
  
"Good." Kili smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. A thought struck him. "Did you want to...ah...take me as well?" He tensed at the thought.  
  
"I do not think I could if I wanted to, lirimaer. Thank you though." He kissed the dwarf's cheek. "Come, let us bathe and then fall asleep in each other's arms." He nuzzled his lover's chest hair and giggled again as it tickled his nose.  
  
~  
  
The two archers walked hand in hand, talking in hushed tones to each other as the elf lead them outside into an attached private garden. The moon still hung higher among the stars, dawn just a still forming thought on her mind.  
  
Kili's eyes slowly adjusted to the soft glow of the sky as he took in his surroundings. "I thought you said we were going to the baths?"  
  
"We are, my private bath." The elf smiled and motioned to a steaming pool hidden underneath the long branches of a willow. He stepped down into the effervescent water, spider silk hair floating atop the bubbles. "Come, I think you'll really enjoy it." A blissful smile spread across the elf's face as he waded in deeper.  
  
The dwarf touched foot to water and quickly rushed into the inviting warmth, splashing everywhere and being otherwise ungraceful. The elf giggled as he sloshed over to him; the water that reached just below his navel came up to Kili's chest. He grumbled at the realization.  
  
Legolas cocked an eyebrow in the dwarf's direction. "Shall I find you a rock to perch upon?"  
  
"What did you say, elf?" Kili bristled and splashed water at the Silvan.  
  
Legolas laughed and made to pick him up like a child. "But you would such a cute little raven, perched on my rock!"  
  
"Don't even think it you prissy little waif!" He grabbed one of Legolas's wrists and pulled him into a heated kiss.  
  
They spent the rest of the night in this way, laughing, joking, kissing, cuddling on the grass until the sun decided to take the moon's invitation to rise. For a brief moment, the two celestial beings seemed to hold hands across the sky, neither wanting to release the other and say good bye.  
  
Kili lay on his back with Legolas's head resting on his shoulder, both watching the sunrise that would end their short time together. "This is my favorite time of day..." The young dwarf chimed in. "The moon and the sun in the same sky."  
  
"Indeed, it is lovely," the elf sighed. "It is our time, meleth." Legolas propped himself on his elbow, stroking his lover's face.  
  
"You're right...you will always be my breaking day." He ran his fingers through the silvery, silken locks of the beauty nestled beside him.  
  
A tear trailed down Legolas's cheek. "And you will always be my deepest night." He pressed his trembling lips to his other's.  
  
Kili returned the kiss, wiping the tear away from the elf's cheek. "Shh, shh, do not cry. We will always have this night." He pulled the slender form of his friend closer. "And who knows, when all of this is over, maybe I can return for you. Aule knows I want to."  
  
They sat up in the cool morning grass and gazed longingly into each other's eyes, sapphire meeting amber, petting the other's face lovingly. The sun finally broke over the garden wall and set Legolas's hair alight, turning it to spun rays of sunshine. It took Kili's breath away and he felt small tears of his own begin to form.  
  
"I want to remember you this way forever." Kili breathed.  
  
"Don't say forever, lirimaer, just until we meet again." Legolas choked back tears.  
  
~  
  
After quickly redressing, Legolas lead the way down a flight of stairs to where his uncle and kinsmen should be staying. With parting kisses and hushed farewells, the two separated and rejoined their realities.  
  
Kili rounded the end of the hall as Legolas had instructed and nearly tripped over Bilbo and Thorin who seemed to have been enjoying a tender moment alone with one another in the stillness of the early morning. All three blushed and Thorin stepped back from Bilbo.  
  
"Good morning!" Kili smiled a huge smile hoping it didn't look as guilty as it felt.  
  
"Oh! Ah...good morning, Kili." A flustered Hobbit squeaked out. "I guess I'll be about packing up now." With a nod of his head, Bilbo scurried off.  
  
"Morning," Thorin grunted, obviously displeased. "Where were you last night?"  
  
There was the question Kili was hoping to ignore. "I was...about." He tried to be as nonchalant as he could manage.  
  
"Don't play coy with me." Thorin's low voice rumbled. "I hope you weren't doing anything foolish..."  
  
"Not really," Kili huffed at the chide remark. "Actually, I was taking care of becoming a 'real' dwarf." He smiled big, proud of himself.  
  
Thorin's mouth popped open. "You...with an elf?" He pulled his nephew in for a bear hug and clapped a thick hand to his back. "I don't know how the hell you managed to pull that off, but good on you! A few of the others tried, mostly Bofur of course, but well, they were less than successful."  
  
They laughed and went about packing, preparing to leave Mirkwood.  
  
~  
  
"Farewell, Thorin Oakenshield. May your journey not prove in vain and may your and your kinsmen's beards grow ever longer. Namarie." King Thranduil bowed his head regally. "I'm sorry that I cannot escort you to the edge of the wood myself, but I am unfortunately needed here today. I have sent the best of my guard with you."  
  
"Thank you, Elvenking Thranduil. May your race remain ever fairer and faster than any other." Thorin bowed a low, dusting bow, as was dwarf custom, smiling to himself a little that things had gone so well. "We thank you for providing any escort at all."  
  
The dwarf company walked out into the courtyard where half a dozen blonde, elven guards sat astride nickering horses. Kili's head hung low as he picked up the rear; he had hoped to maybe glance his beautiful elf one last time. He felt like he was leaving half himself behind in the Greenwood.  
  
"Good morning, mellon nin." The lilting, tinkling voice rang above the den the dwarves had already created singing their traveling songs.  
  
Kili's head shot up. Riding on a grey mare, sat Legolas, smiling kindly down at him, breathtakingly beautiful. His cheeks were the lovely shade of spring petals and his whole being seemed to glow. "Legolas! Mel...mell-on-neen." He flushed, embarrassed.  
  
Legolas's smile only grew and he jumped from his horse to walk beside Kili. "You spoke elvish!" His voice was giddy as he whispered.  
  
"I tried...you make it sound much prettier." Kili twiddled with the ends of his hair. "What does it mean, anyways?"  
  
"It means 'my friend.'" The elf looked lovingly at him. "Now I should try khuzdul."  
  
Kili smiled as well, waiting for the Silvan's response.  
  
"My mizimel..." The elf finally spoke, brushing their hands together. "I think that's what you said, at least." He blushed afresh.  
  
Kili's while face turned red from his nose to his ears. "It means 'jewel of jewels.' A very...romantic endearment." He glanced up at the tall blonde through his lashes.  
  
"I almost forgot!" Legolas rummaged through a pouch on his belt and pulled out a thin mithril chain with a charm on it. "Here. I want you to have it." He handed the necklace to Kili.  
  
"F-for me?" The gaping dwarf turned it over in his palm; on the small charm was an etching of something akin to a starburst or a sun.  
  
"It was given to me at my birth. It's a picture-word for the morning star, because, well, I was born in the morning." The elf fiddled with one of his own long locks, visibly nervous.  
  
Kili grabbed his wrist, halting them for a moment, looking at Legolas in ernest. "Thank you. Really. I love it." He made sure no one was looking before placing a gentle kiss on the elf's knuckles. He slid the chain over his head and admired it.  
  
"It looks lovely on you, meleth." Again the beauty was glowing from within.  
  
"Here. I want you to have this." Kili unclasped a gold chain from around his neck and presented it to his friend.  
  
Legolas seemed shocked to receive something in return. He stroked the small pendant on the chain. "What does the symbol mean?"  
  
"It's dwarvish runes for 'Kili.' I also got this when I was born. Except, see the runic picture on the back?" He turned the pendant over in the elf's hand. "It's the symbol for the moon. I was born at night."  
  
"I love it. Hannon lle. Thank you." Legolas pulled his long gossamer hair over one shoulder and clasped the chain. "I will always think of you when I look upon it."  
  
~  
  
As they neared the edge of the wood, the two parties bid talked amongst themselves wishing the other safe travels and so on. Thorin was shaking hands with the leader of the elven guards when he noticed his raven haired nephew lingering around one of the younger looking elves, acting bashful and otherwise infatuated. The dwarven King smirked to himself as he called to his nephew. "Kili." He spoke gruffly. "It's time to go."  
  
Kili jumped at the sound of the elder dwarf's voice. "I guess this is where we say good bye." He kicked a pebble with his boot.  
  
"Not good bye, just farewell." Legolas placed a hand on the young dwarf's shoulder, a sad smile half formed on his  elegantly curved lips.  
  
Kili placed his hand on his other's on his shoulder. "Farewell, then, my friend." He turned and walked towards the other dwarves, not looking back until they were a distance away, so as to not cry. He could see Legolas standing on the back of his mare, watching them leave; he sighed heavily.  
  
"What's the matter, lad?" Bofur slung an arm over the young dwarf's shoulders.  
  
"That." He sighed again as only one with a breaking heart could and pointed to the elf atop his horse.  
  
"You mean Prince Legolas?" Bofur gave him a confused look before realization spread across his face. He let out one of his howling laughs and pulled Kili closer, shaking him.  
  
"P-Prince?!" Kili spluttered out the words in disbelief. "That's Thranduil's son?" Now that he knew, Kili could see the resemblance in the young elf's face to the blonde Lord of Mirkwood, their similarly delicate but noble features now more evident. How had this happened? If anyone found out, it could start a whole new war between his uncle and the elven king.  
  
The young dwarven prince had also promised to return for the elven royalty and he would uphold his vow. 'It doesn't matter. We're both royalty,' he tried comforting himself with unrealistic optimism. The thought of courting Legolas properly made him smile; he could already envision the design he would engrave into their binding beads.  
  
But the thought of having Thranduil as a father-in-law...thought of having to explain it all to Thorin...'Oh Mahal, I think I'm going to be sick.'  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! ^_^ So, after thinking it over and stressing out about it, I have made a second chapter for these two cuties. I hope that you all enjoy and that it is everything you all have been waiting for. Once again, any and all comments are welcome~
> 
> And a huge huge thank you to Johanna http://legolaslover1.tumblr.com/ whom, without her ever present guidance and invaluable words of encouragement, this would not have been possible. Hannon lle mellon nin.

There was blood, blood everywhere. It seeped into the ground, thick and coagulating, becoming a part of the land. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Why did they all have to fight? Why did it always have to come to war? The archer notched another arrow and loosed it into an orc's snarling, scarred face, black oozing down the shaft. Where was his brother? He looked everywhere around him but; he couldn't find the blond.

"Fili!"

No response.

"Fili!"

The dwarven archer became desperate, hacking and slashing through an endless wall of filth. He had to find his brother and his uncle, his king, the two who were always right behind him. How could he lose them? He ignored his own injuries, a deep gash running along his thigh and many other nicks and scrapes.

"Thorin!" His voice was becoming hoarse from dehydration and overuse.

A glimmer of blond caught his attention some yards off; he kept his eyes trained on it, wondering if it was the blond he was seeking. It wasn't, but it made his heart stop all the same. Subconsciously, he grasped the delicate mithril chain at his neck, whispering a quick prayer.

Elves were immortal, right?

He tore his eyes away from the familiar apparition, gone almost as soon as he glimpsed him, and continued to seek out his kin. It seemed impossible. The battleground was littered with fallen friends and enemies alike and with each body he passed, he said another prayer that it wouldn't be who he was looking for. Finally, in an outcrop of warg riders and orcs on foot, he saw his king and his brother fighting ferociously. He waded through the blood and grime, slashing a warg across the snout, an orc through the belly and another through the neck until he made his way to his fellow warriors.

"I'm here!" He shouted as he tumbled over a fallen warg and its rider to his brother's side.

"I thought we had lost you!" Fili panted out, wielding his twin swords against a particularly foul orc. "I'm glad I was mistaken." Fili roared as he ended the offending orc's life. He spared Kili a sidelong glance and that was when Kili noticed the poisoned, orc arrows protruding from his back.

"Fili! You're wounded!" Kili barely had the time to speak before being accosted by another of the filthy creatures.

"So are you,"Fili said with that arrogant smirk of his as he held his swords up as a shield against a warg's snapping jaws. "Don't worry about me!" He grunted as he forced the warg back. "Uncle is far worse than I."

Kili whipped his head around just in time to see Thorin fall to his knees under the blows of the pale orc, Azog the Defiler. "Thorin!" The young dwarf limped towards his uncle, apparently having broken his ankle in his fall earlier.

Thorin looked so tired, so strained, so...resigned as Azog raised his bone-mace high, poised to administer the deathblow to yet another leader of Durin. He couldn't just crumple like that! Thorin was strong and wise beyond his years; Kili couldn't let him be this weak. All of this crashed through him as Kili leapt to his King's defense, using the last of the energy stored up in his abused and broken legs. The prince watched the horrible snarl form on the pale orc's gnarled lips; saw his mace fall and then nothing.

Nothing.

Just...darkness.

Kili floated through blackness, like a still lake, lying just beneath the surface, looking up at a starless sky. He couldn't perceive where he was, he remembered Thorin, Fili, fighting...and then this. This empty darkness. He was cold, but his body didn't seem to have the energy to shiver. Time passed, hours felt like days, days felt like weeks and he couldn't move. He was so scared.

The madness was a dark, creeping thing in his mind, tendriling into his brain, leeching him of all coherent thought, when he felt it. His heart thudded in his chest for the first time since he had arrived in this wretched place. His ribs felt as though they would shatter, like glass thrown onto stone, into a million pieces. The water he had been embalmed in began to take on an effervescent quality, small bubbles tickling his skin. He could feel it! Then there was a light, warm and soothing, filtering in through the murky depths. It was so beautiful and shimmering. He tried with everything in him to reach out for that light, the bubbles urging him upwards, but he couldn't move his hands no matter what he tried.

'Help...' He spoke, his words were nothing more than bubbles escaping and rolling off his lips. 'Help...me...' His lips felt frozen and his tongue wouldn't cooperate with everything he wanted to say. He closed his eyes, feeling lost and helpless again. Then there were hands, soft and soothing, grabbing him, pulling him out of the endless lake. He hung limp, water rolling off his useless frame. A voice so sweet and calm drifted into his consciousness; it spoke in a strange but familiar tongue, song-like and graceful.

'Come back to me, Kili.'

Kili's eyes shot open and he screamed, unaware of where he was or how he got there. His breathing was panicked and his heart thundered inside his aching rib cage.

"Kili! Kili! Calm down! You'll tear your stitches!" Fili quickly outstretched his arms, hugging his brother and keeping him in place. The younger prince struggled against the arms wrapped around him, trying to break free. "You're safe! Its over! Calm down, Kili."

Kili ceased in his struggles, his arms drooping down into the pool of sheets around his waist. The brunet realized then that he was naked from the waist up and there were bandages, wrapped many times over with blood seeping through, about his torso. He lifted the sheet to reveal a carefully splinted ankle and a wrapped up thigh, the grooves of the stitches showing through the cloth. Kili blinked dry, tired eyes and focused on the familiar face beside him. "Fili? Fili..." His brother smiled at his recognition of him and gave him a gentler hug, as best he could with a splinted arm, sporting just as many bandages as Kili's own ragged body. The archer leaned into the embrace, wincing at the pain that shot up his spine. "What happened?"

"We drove back the orcs and goblins...but we lost a lot of people, Kee." Fili looked past Kili, lost in reverent thought. "Right now you're in the Elves' healing tents. We thought you were dead, but he brought you back, Kee. I don't know how, but he did."

"Who?" Kili's head still felt fuzzy, his mind bleary. He felt half suspended over that dreadful lake; his heart thudding inside him as he hoped this wasn't just a cruel dream. He realized he was shivering so hard his joints ached; even though it was painful it was a bittersweet link to reality that settled him into his broken bones.

"I'll go get him, he'll be glad to know you're conscious." Fili gave a wry smile and took off quickly, he obviously knew something.

"WHO?" The youngest prince barked at the tent flaps, his brother long gone. He hated when Fili made him be patient. It never sat right with him. More than anything he hoped this person would have something for his battered body; everything seemed to hurt in one way or another as he tried his deep breathing exercises Thorin had taught him.

Thorin. Where was Thorin? Had he survived? Had Kili made it in time? His breathing became shallow as images of the battle flickered behind his eyelids, blood, orcs, dead bodies, and a shimmer of white gold.

His hand shot up to his throat groping for his only keepsake from that precious night they had shared together. Tears pricked at his eyes, they burned as they pushed past his dark lashes, stinging the small cuts on his cheeks. Tension thrummed hard and strong in his chest as his fingertips danced over nothing. It was gone. He lost it. The silent tears became a pitiful sobbing, Kili knew, if Fili's face was any reference, there was no way...

"Kili?" Fili popped into his tent, that same I-know-something-wonderful-and-I'm-not-telling smile on his face.

The young brunet sat up in his cot, furiously wiping away any evidence of his little break down and pulled the sheets to his chest for some modesty. " Look, if you don't tell me what this little--"

A slender figure, forest-green hood drawn and rain soaked, stepped into the tent shortly after Fili. "Fili, you know I'm busy, I've done all I can for your brother and I need rest, mellon nin." The green hood shook, water droplets rolling off the soft wool.

Kili's deep eyes widened and his heart leapt at the 'stranger's' presence; he knew that voice. He bit his tongue, fearing to speak a single word, scared that any utterance would splinter this delicate feeling filling him. For the first time in a while, he felt hope.

Slender, pale hands shakily pulled back the hood revealing hair like liquid sunshine. The being slowly turned glimmering, topaz eyes to him, his rosy lips falling open. "Kili!" The elf breathed his name out, clasping a hand to his mouth as his body began to shake with quiet sobs.

"Legolas, mizimel..." The dwarven prince sighed the name out, his face splitting into a huge, dumb smile. Kili stretched out his hand, offering it to the elven prince, as he had done to him so many nights ago. "Come to me."

Legolas took slow, shaky steps over to his lover, still trembling from head to toe. Everything about him read tired and overworked and strained and Kili's heart ached for him. "Kili, meleth--!" The elven prince's hand slid into the young dwarf's gently, lovingly brushing fingertips across his palm before grasping it. "I thought, I thought..." The blonds’ beautifully curved lips pursed, fighting back more tears. Legolas's fingers danced with Kili's as they slowly entwined.

"Hush, shh," The brunet reached calming fingers up and into eider white locks, soothing his beloved and pulling the elf closer. Kili roamed amber eyes over the lithe body before him, half in disbelief and half to seek out any injury; the elf seemed unharmed. He tightened his grip in Legolas's hair, looking into his beautiful eyes, before slowly placing his mouth against the elf’s.

Their lips, Kili's chapped and dry, his other's soft and inviting, brushed against each other in a feather light touch. Kili felt his whole body vibrate in response to the delicate pressing of skin. Legolas hummed a response, letting him know he felt it too.

Fili cleared his throat,; Kili had forgotten he was even there, from the other side of the tent. "I guess I'll leave you two love birds alone for a bit."

Kili blushed. "Sorry, Fee," he chuckled out, the pain in his chest not going unnoticed. He noticed too that his beloved had also taken on a pink glow all the way to the tips of his ears.

"Its alright," Fili obviously felt uncomfortable, but from what exactly Kili couldn't tell. He didn't care whether he approved of his choice in love at this point either. "I have to go settle a bet with Bofur anyways." The elder prince mumbled under his breath before leaving.

"I'm sorry," the blond spoke softly, still blushing. "I shouldn't have kissed you in front of your brother." He kept his gaze downcast, wiping away still falling tears.

Legolas's shyness was so cute; it made Kili want to tease him and have him blushing all the time. A huge grin spread across his lips as he kissed Legolas's creamy cheeks. "Oh my tender, blushing blossom, how lovely you are."

"Don't tease me, dwarf." The young elf pushed at him playfully, knocking him back into the pillows on the small cot. Carefully, Legolas climbed atop his dwarven lover, straddling his hips without resting fully upon him but just enough that the laces of their breeches touched.

Kili felt his heart leap at the sight of the elf on him; his long golden hair hanging free down his shoulders, his tunic opened wide at the top to display delicately carved collar bones, and soft, pink lips curved upwards in the softest of smiles. He had obviously been turned in for the night when Fili had fetched him; he recognized the silk dressing gown from the last time they were together. Kili gazed lovingly at the elf, awaiting his next move.

Legolas leaned in slowly, bracing his hands in the pillow on either side of Kili's head, and slowly caressing his lips with his own. It was a tantalizing dance of skin on skin, full of lament, joy, and love. The elf's tongue darted from his mouth, gently licking at the seam of Kili's lips. The dwarf opened his mouth slightly in response, only to have the beauty continue to tease at his lips, sucking and biting at them.

The young dwarf grunted in response to the tantric tasting of his mouth; he was ready to pull the blond into his arms and kiss him passionately and kiss him well, leaving the elf with swollen lips. But he tried to still his body and let all of his senses focus on his other's loving touches. 'Maybe this is how elves love?' He thought to himself, curiously. 'If you have eternal life, why be in such a hurry?' He'd just have to learn to be...patient. His face must have betrayed his inner thoughts because Legolas pulled back with a giggle.

"Why do you look so sour, meldiramin?" The young elf's eyes twinkled with amusement as he took in the sight of a shirtless, prone Kili lying beneath him. Though he had been sleeping for so long, his body was still well muscled and fit. Legolas ran his fingertips over the unbandaged parts of his lover's chest, through that irresistible dark hair, pausing at the patches that had been shaved for the sake of cleaner stitches.

Kili squirmed beneath the elf, pressing his awakening member into his lover. "I'm not the one doing all the teasing..." He rolled his hips up, as best he could with his limited mobility, against Legolas's arousal at a faster pace. "Come, undress us...I'm no good at being patient. I want to...be...with you again." It was Kili's turn to flush.

Legolas smiled at Kili's anxiousness. "Well, I'm afraid that's going to be off limits for a while, amaelmin. You're still healing." The blond gave him a quick peck and rose off the young dwarf.

Kili opened his mouth to protest, at least to ask the flaxen haired beauty to stay the night with him, only to have Legolas pull the sheet further down his body. He watched as pale fingers slowly unlaced his breeches and slid them over his hips, freeing his aching sex. The cold air caused him to gasp as it hit his heated member.

"But it does not mean I can't provide you with some pleasure." The elven archer blushed afresh, tucking long, silvery hair behind his ears and pulling it over one shoulder before leaning down and blowing warm breath over the dwarf prince's arousal. Hungry lips placed moist kisses down Kili's shaft, slow and gentle.

The brunet reached out a bandaged hand to tangle fingers into spider silk hair and pet his other lovingly. He ran his fingertips through the locks to intricately pointed and curved ears. He rubbed the tip between forefinger and thumb, savoring the warmth that had spread to the elf's ears and the quiet moans coming from his lover.

The elven prince licked a hot stripe up the dwarf's shaft and over the sensitized head, before sucking the flared tip in his mouth. He bobbed and pulled with his luscious lips at Kili's length, slowly working him deeper and deeper.

"Ah! Legolas!" Kili's hips bucked up into the elf's mouth before he could stop them. "That feels--! Mmm!" He had forgotten what the flaxen haired archer could do to him, how he seemed to play his body like a well tuned instrument, pulling forth the most harmonious notes and vibrations from deep within him. He felt his release building impossibly quick within him. "I'm I'm--!"

Legolas pushed his beloved as far into his mouth as he could, the tip nudging the back of his throat, and swallowed. That small movement pushed Kili over the edge and hot seed flooded the elf prince's mouth as; he struggled to drink it all down. Above him, his other groaned out his release, muscles tensing, fingers grasping into his hair. When he felt his lover's sex begin to still, Legolas removed his mouth with a small cough and gave the tip a kiss before sitting up.

Kili laid back on the pillows, sable hair splayed and sticking to his forehead by a thin sheen of sweat, eyes closed, the afterglow of elf's gentle ministrations still washing over him. He motioned for Legolas to join him again at the head of the cot. His breathing still not completely calmed.

The elven royalty snuggled up close to him, carefully resting his head on an unharmed portion of Kili's shoulder. "I forgot how good you taste nin bain." Legolas smiled as he nuzzled the dwarf's stubbly cheek. "Was that...was that pleasurable enough?"

Kili smiled a big, sated smile. "That was amazing, my beloved." He kissed the top of the blonds’ head. " He opened sleepy, yet mischievous amber eyes and gazed knowingly into the pale topaz eyes of his elven prince. "Now let me return the pleasure to you." He placed a finger under his lover's chin and captured his lips in a tender kiss.

"No, no..." Legolas tried to break from the kiss half-heartedly. "...you can't. You need to relax...nn!" The brunet had begun stroking at his sensitive ears again, heightening his desire.

"I think I'm well enough to lay my mouth on you," Kili smirked, continuing to kiss his beloved and coax more erotic sounds from the elf. "I have missed you more than you can fathom, missed your scent, the feel of you in my arms, the sound of your voice..." Small tears began forming at the corners of his eyes as the moment he had caught sight of the elven archer in the midst of battle, the moment he had thought he had lost him, flashed briefly in the back of his mind. "Please, gimlel...let me love you..."

Legolas sensed something was amiss with his beloved and cuddled impossibly close into the dwarf's side. He leaned into the sweet caresses being placed upon his ears, feeling his arousal stir against his lover's hot body. The elf kissed back with newfound need and longing, stroking Kili everywhere, his arms, his face, his stomach, anywhere fingers could reach.

"Will you stand, kurdhel?" The dwarven archer breathed hotly into the shell of his other's ear. He watched, excitedly, as his voice raised goose flesh on his partner, a shiver running down his body to accompany them. "Gods, you are beautiful..." Kili lapped at the tip of the elf's ear before pulling it into his mouth.

"Ai! Kili!" A litany of elvish phrases poured from Legolas's full lips as his fingers dug into dampened skin of his beloved's arm. "Yes, saes...please love me, meleth..." The blond gasped out around the other pleasurable sounds falling from him. He grudgingly pulled away from Kili to stand at his side.

The dwarf prince turned, joints creaking, and carefully swung his legs off the edge of the makeshift bed. He reached out and ran callused hands over his elven lover's prominent hipbones, breathing in his sweet, floral scent. Kili quickly untied the laces and pulled out the blonds’ engorged length. The tip was purplish from how long it had been waiting, but it was still just as slender and lovely as he remembered. He teased it with his fingertips, smirking at the gasp that hitched in Legolas's chest, before laving his tongue along the underside of the shaft.

"Oh, Valar..." Legolas sighed out, relief thick in his voice. The elven prince slowly rocked his hips back and forth, his member slipping effortlessly over the dwarf's slippery tongue. "I won't ah-! I won't be long..."

Kili pulled of with a wet slurp, drool running down his chin. "Whenever you're ready, my love..." He glanced up at his partner, looking into his darkened, sapphire eyes, before wrapping his lips around him once more. He tasted so good.

Legolas's legs began to tremble as his release built low in his stomach. "Kili-!" His length quivered as his seed rushed from him, spilling down Kili's throat. The elf grasped onto his lover and lowered himself to the bed before his legs gave out completely.

"That...was...amazing," the young elf panted out, his eyes still closed, riding out the last tremors of his orgasm.

"You were amazing, kurdel." Kili wrapped careful arms around his prince and laid them both onto the cot. He pulled up the furs and quilts, covering them both up to the chin.

As his breathing evened out, Legolas opened his eyes, now the color of starlight at midsummer's eve. His usual gentle smile formed on his lips. "Amin mella le..." "I love you too, gimlel." The dwarf kissed his beloved atop his gossamer hair. " Would you sing for me? If you aren't too tired..." Kili blushed; it was his first time asking his other for something like this.

The elven prince seemed to glow from within. "You want me to sing? I'm not very good." Legolas seemed to be full of nerves about performing for him.

"Please? The song you were singing on our first night has haunted me ever since..." Kili touched fingertips to silvery locks, tucking them behind a pointed ear. "...and I would love to hear you sing it once more." The dwarf smiled reassuringly and kissed his beloved's cheeks.

The elf's glow took on the lovely petal pink shade again. "I suppose I could. But just for you." Legolas looked away shyly and pulled the blankets over their heads. "But only if I can't see you watching me." He laughed softly. "I don't even sing with everyone in the great hall of my home."

Kili felt himself beam with joy. This would be something that was only theirs. One more precious thing between the two of them and nobody else.

As Legolas began singing the lark-like melody, he absent-mindedly started petting his other's sable locks. His tinkling voice filled the space between their lips and unspoken words. They rubbed noses together gingerly, both refusing to stop looking into the other's eyes. And the two lovers fell asleep, entwined perfectly with one another.

~

The warm, morning sun rose over the hills of Dale and down into the small encampment of elves, dwarves and men nestled in the valley before Erebor. Most everyone had risen early to set about restoring the lands of Dale and the halls of Erebor so that they would be inhabitable once more. Smaug's fury had burned most of what once used to be fertile farming land and a lot of the restoration focus had been on helping sustainability. It was a perfect a job for the elves ,who seemed to have a much deeper understanding of nature than any other being on Arda, that had remained behind with their King. The men of Laketown, now displaced, had put all of their efforts into rebuilding Dale, where once erected, Bard,the Dragon Slayer, would be crowned king. Thranduil, eager to reestablish trade, had also made Dale his focal point. The dwarves, of course, had taken to Erebor, cleaning, sorting, rebuilding in a way only known to dwarves.

Kili, roused by the sun, rolled over in the pile of furs surrounding him to wrap an arm around his elven beauty only to grasp at air. He opened his eyes sluggishly, he still felt exhausted. The young dwarf stretched and roved eyes over the tent seeking out his lover. He spotted the elf standing at the opposite end of the tent, pulling his cloak back around his slender shoulders. "Morning," Kili smiled lopsided and sweet, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and onto the floor. He made a slow attempt to stand only to find his leg screaming in protest at the added weight as he crumpled back onto the bed with a wince.

"Kili!" Legolas was at his side in a flash, laying hands on him and pushing him rather forcibly back into bed. "You are not ready to be up and about yet! What were you thinking, mellon?" The elf continued to fuss over the young archer until he was safely nestled back in the nest of pillows and blankets like a baby bird.

"I'm fine, you know?" Kili huffed a laugh at his worried friend. He caught the elf's slender hand and brought it to his lips. The brunet pressed soft kisses to each cool fingertip, calming the other.

"You most certainly aren't fine," Legolas protested, even as a pleasant blush formed on his cheeks. The blond sat beside the dwarven prince and clasped both of Kili's hands with his own. "I-I think we should talk, lirimaer..."

Kili swallowed thickly, subconsciously grasping the elf's hands tighter, as an unknown feeling of dread washed over him. "What is it, gimlel? Have I offended you? Did I hurt you?"

"No, no nothing like that..." The elven prince looked off, eyes not focused on anything in particular. He took a deep breath before continuing. "I know that before we parted on our first night, you spoke of...marriage..." The ethereal elf, looked down, masking his face behind a curtain of eider white hair.

The words lanced through Kili's heart, his breath caught in his chest. "You...you don't want to marry me?"

"Kili! Please," Legolas's eyebrows were knitted together with a heavy sadness that the young dwarf could not begin to understand. "Let me finish. It’s just, have you really thought about what that would mean for us? I'm an elf, you're a dwarf. Our families haven't exactly gotten along for the passed while."

The raven-haired dwarf sighed out his relief. Thank Aule, he didn't want to not marry him, he was just afraid. "We can talk to them. Don't you think once they see how much we love each other that they-"

"Think about your Uncle. Do you really think that Thorin Oakenshield would ever approve of the two of us? He can hardly stand to let me touch him to care for his wounds!" The elven archer stood and paced about the floor; he had obviously been thinking about this for a while and had worked himself into near hysterics.

"And your father? What would the great King Thranduil have to say about his only son marrying a dwarf?" Kili crossed his arms over his chest; truthfully, he hadn't really thought about this aspect of their relationship. He had been caught up in thoughts of beads and white robes and flower crowns.

"Well, I think he might already know about us..." The silvery elf nibbled at the tip of his thumb, eyes locking on Kili, judging his reaction.

"What?! How?!" The dwarf could feel his pulse quicken.

"I may have told him. But, I never mentioned your name! I only mentioned that I was no longer 'pure.' I'm sorry, I should have mentioned it sooner." Legolas rejoined his beloved at his side. 

"No, its okay. I actually told Thorin that I too had 'become a man' the morning we left Mirkwood. Even told him it was with an elf and he really didn't seem to mind..."Kili shrugged. "...maybe it won't be as bad as we think?"

"Or it could be a complete disaster..." The elven prince sounded so utterly hopeless.

"Listen," The brunet cupped his beloved's face, drawing his glittering, blue gaze to him. "No matter what they say, I will love you and I will not leave you. Even if it means I have to run away to be with you, I will." Kili's eyes burned with a deep, hot intensity, his voice strong and dripping with conviction. "I will marry you even if the stars are our only witness and the trees our chapel."

Sapphire eyes glistened with newly forming tears, clinging to long, dark lashes. Full lips parted, but the words caught on the elf's breath and he swallowed. Legolas leaned in slowly, lashes flush against pale cheeks, tears falling silently, and pressed his lips against his One's.

The heat from such a delicate kiss, a whisper of a brush of skin, ignited deep in Kili's heart. It was overwhelming and before he knew it, he had reached out and pulled his elf prince to his chest. The dwarf peppered is other's face and neck with fervent kisses, worshiping him and breathing him in.

"Kili?" The dwarf's brother's voice rung out in the silence of their tiny world contained within the walls of the tent. Kili shook his head and laughed, looking up at his lover with a smile.

"Later," the elf returned his smile and touched their foreheads together. He was picking up on dwarven customs pretty quickly.

"Come in, Fili!" Kili called out to the elder prince.

Fili popped his golden-blond head in and looked about, making sure he wasn't interrupting anything this time before finally walking in. "Morning, brother." He smiled warmly at both Kili and the elf at his side.

Legolas rose from the bed and walked to entrance of the tent. "I need to be going. It’s time for me to start my rounds with the wounded." He offered a quick and poised smile to the brother's before leaving.

As soon as the tent flaps fell, Fili punched his little brother in the arm with his good hand.

"Hey!" Kili yelped at the unexpected attack.

"That's for not telling me about him! What on earth, Kili?! I'm your brother you, khuzud shirumundu!" The golden heir nudged his shoulder in the second prince for good measure.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Achrâchi gabilul...kahomhîlizu, nadad." Kili watched as Fili softened at the endearment. "How do you feel about him? About me?"

"He saved your life, nadadith, I owe him mine for that alone." Fili spoke in earnest, fiddling with one of his aglets. "But, I've been watching him around the camp and he seems like a good man, I mean elf." The blond dwarf smiled at the brunet. "I'm happy for you..."

The second prince felt himself blushing and smiling like a fool. "Thanks, nadadel, that's all I could have asked for." He leaned, ignoring the popping protest of his back, to give his brother a big bear hug and touch their foreheads together.

Fili batted Kili off of him and reached into his coat pocket to pull out his pipe and leaf pouch. He tapped the pipe out on the bottom of his boot before crumbling up some pipeweed into his palm and slowly packing it. "But, you know, it’s not really me that you should be worrying about, or the company for that matter, I know they'd love you no matter what you did, but Uncle..."

"I know. How can I convince him?" The younger dwarf turned big, sad eyes to his elder brother for help.

Fili lit his pipe and took a long draw, scrunching his brows together, before he spoke. "I think you mean, how are we going to convince him? You didn't think we would let you do this on your own, did you?" He laughed again before passing the pipe to Kili.

Kili took a long draw, savoring the slight burn as the smoke filled his lungs. He had no idea how much he missed this. "Ah," He let out a satisfied sigh along with the smoke. "So, does everyone feel similarly?"

"Well, I think everyone accept Balin and Dwalin are in for the long haul. Those two are just sitting out, but not opposing. I think they're worried about possibly losing their jobs on Thorin's new council." Fili took another long puff. "So you have most of us."

"Uncle Thorin has hated elves for as long as I can remember. Always telling us how filthy and corrupt they were..." The brunet felt a small amount of anger surge up within him as he replayed years of insult over in his mind. "How can we make him understand that what we feel has nothing to do with race? That some things go beyond physical appearance?" Kili gestured wildly, nearly upsetting his older brother's pipe.

Fili just shook his head and chuckled. "You've got it bad, don't you?" The golden prince looked thoughtful for a moment. “Kili! You, idiot! That’s it! What you just said about love going beyond race!”

“What?” The raven-haired archer paused midsentence.

“Think about it…” Fili smiled a beaming mischievous grin. “Who is our beloved and dear old uncle in love with at the moment?”

Kili cocked his head to the side, eyebrows scrunched together. “Bilbo, of course.”

Fili slapped a hand to his forehead. “And Bilbo is…”

“Nice?” Kili suggested only to have Fili shake his head ‘no.’ Suddenly, the pieces came together. “A hobbit! Bilbo is a hobbit! Not a khuzud!”

“Exactly! And nothing will topple Uncle’s argument like his own hypocrisy! I’ll go fetch Bilbo!” Fili practically leapt off the bed and rushed out of the tent to put their plan into motion.

~

A few moments later, the distressed squawks of a hobbit came from outside the raven prince’s temporary dwellings.

“Fili! You beast, let me go! I told you I would come, there’s no need to drag me!” Bilbo groused indignantly as he was shoved into the tent. After casting another glare at Fili, he turned kind eyes on Kili who tried to look as innocent as possible. “How are you doing, dear?”

“Oh, I’m fine! Feeling much better!” The brunet sat patiently as the small hobbit ruffled his hair and hugged him gently. “But there is something that I’d like to ask you about…” Kili picked at some invisible fuzz on his furs.

“Well, I can only assume it must be fairly important considering the way I was manhandled in getting here.” Bilbo straightened and tugged at his waistcoat for the hundredth time and twitched his nose as he always did when he felt ruffled up. “Well then, get on with it.”

“Uhm, you see…its uh…” Kili wracked his brain for a tactful way to explain his situation to the little hobbit without giving him too much distress. 

“Kili is in love with the elf prince, Thranduil’s son, Legolas, and we need you to bring Thorin around to the idea, subtly.” Fili blurted it all out with an exasperated sigh. In a way, it was kind of sweet how eager and ready he was to get the two young lovers together.

Bilbo’s eyes went wide. “Wait, what?” He looked between the two brothers. “If this is your idea of a joke, I’m not laughing.” The hobbit put on his best scolding face and crossed his arms.

“I’m afraid he’s right. That really is the problem. Will you help me? Please Bilbo? I love Legolas and it’s my intention to marry him, one way or another.” The younger dwarf tried hard to show how serious and sincere his request was.

Bilbo hopped up to his feet in a flash, eyes wider, if that was even possible, and paced about looking like a trapped rabbit. “What?! What? No, no, no. Wait,” He shook shaggy tawny curls. “No. I don’t want any part of this. Do you know how upset Thorin would be with me if he found out I was going behind his back?”

“We know.” It was Fili’s turn to speak up for his brother. “We understand how big of a favor this would be.” The blond dwarf placed a hand on the nervous hobbit’s shoulder and caught Bilbo in his warm, intense gaze. It never ceased to get Fili exactly what he wanted. “But we also know, without a doubt, if anyone can make Kili’s dream a reality, its you.”

The hobbit stood a little gob-smacked staring at the first prince, opening and shutting his mouth at a loss for words. He twitched his nose again as he mulled over the weight that had just been placed on his shoulders.

When he passed close enough, Kili reached out and took Bilbo’s hand. “Please. I know it’s a lot to ask of you, but please.”

Bilbo’s shoulders sagged under the weight of Kili’s big, chocolate eyes. “Oh, damn you, stop that!” The hobbit caved, rolling his eyes exasperatedly. “I’ll do it, just stop with those damn puppy eyes.”

“Bilbo!” The bothers piled on top of the squeaking hobbit, hugging him fiercely and knocking their foreheads together. “Thank you thank you!”

“Let me go! You’re going to crush me or give me another concussion!” Bilbo freed himself and straightened his clothing again. “Now, tell me everything.”

~

“I can’t wait to be off these damned crutches.” The new King of Erebor grumbled to himself as he pulled the proffered pieces of wood up and under his arms.

“You should just be happy you didn’t lose that leg! It was completely crushed and in tatters.” Bilbo’s eyebrows knit together as he recalled, with unwanted clarity, the early days post battle when he wasn’t even sure if his beloved was going to live. He worded his next statement carefully. “ I’m very grateful to have had a master healer like young master Legolas here to patch you back together.”

Thorin paused in his motions and glanced over his shoulder as his hobbit braided his hair in one, long braid down his back. “Yes, we were lucky.” He pushed himself up and onto his feet, wincing only lightly at the weight on his healing leg. “Come.” He beckoned for Bilbo to join him at his side. Outside the king’s tent, men, elves and dwarves were hurrying about this way and that carrying herbs, fresh bindings, food and whatever else. Thorin stood proudly, surveying the progress of things around the camp. The dwarf hobbled towards his nephew’s tent, having heard of him awakening, with a fussing hobbit in tow.

As Bilbo escorted his beloved, he peered around for the elf prince. He spotted the long, platinum locks rather quickly and stood on tiptoe to see what the elf was up to. Lucky for him, the young royal was playing with some children:, dwarf , elf and man alike and had them all laughing with delight. The hobbit concocted a quick thought. “Oh! Look! It’s young master Legolas. How kind of him to play with the children. They do get bored and fussy so quickly with everyone working so much.”

Thorin quirked an eyebrow at his lover and turned in the direction the hobbit indicated. “Indeed.” He stated gruffly and continued on to Kili’s tent.

Bilbo thought another moment before rushing to catch up. “You know, I heard that he is the one responsible for Kili waking.” The tawny-blond nodded matter-of-factly. “Fili was telling me Legolas paid special attention to him. Kept an on-the-hour vigil over him until he awoke.”

The dark haired dwarf stopped and turned to his hobbit, gazing at him with obvious suspicion. “Well, if you are quite through singing the little elf’s praises, I am ready to see my nephew. You know, my youngest sister-son?”

Bilbo pouted up at Thorin, poking at his chest. “You don’t have to be so rude, you know.” Looking up, soft grey-blue eyes met intense topaz and the little hobbit blushed furiously as the dwarven king leaned in to give him a chaste kiss on the lips. Coming to his senses, Bilbo shooed Thorin away and cast his gaze elsewhere as he heard his other laugh deeply to himself.

~

“Kili,” Thorin rushed over to the youngest prince and embraced him tightly. “I’m so happy to see you. I had started to think you were ready to return to the stone…” If he were a more sentimental creature, the king may have shed a few tears of joy at reuniting with his youngest heir, but, as always, he remained stoic for the most part.

“Uncle,” Kili smiled softly and touched their foreheads together. It felt good to actually see his uncle, in flesh and blood, even as terrified as he was of him at the moment. “I see you’re up and about. How are you feeling?” The young dwarf eyed the hobbit over his uncle’s shoulder, who shrugged noncommittally. This was going to take time, but he wouldn’t stop trying.

“Well, actually. I’ve enjoyed being able to get out and walk about the camp and oversee what projects I can.” Thorin reclined back on his hands on the small cot. “After working so much, it feels wrong to just be sitting around while everyone else is so hard at work, even if I am King Under the Mountain.” He laughed a soft, warm chuckle.

Almost as if on cue, Legolas peered his fair face into the raven-haired dwarf’s tent. “Oh, I’m sorry, am I intruding?” He cast nervous, pale blue eyes about the small gathering in Kili’s quarters.

“No! Please, come in!” Kili beckoned the elf in with his hand and a smile that was too kind. “You’re not interrupting anything.”

Legolas slowly entered, keeping his head bowed, with a small basket of salves and fresh bandages. He set about pulling everything out and lining up the various bottles and bowls on the little side table beside the bed. “How is your pain today, Young Master Dwarf?”

“Please,” Kili placed a hand on the elf’s shoulder. “Call me Kili.” He smiled broadly as the elf glanced shyly at him.

Thorin watched the scene play out before him with his nephew and the elf; something about it didn’t sit right with him. He shook his head and sighed before speaking. “Thank you, Young Master Legolas,” His rumbling voice drew the jumpy blonds’ attention. “For caring for myself and my nephews. Especially Kili. He would be lost without you.”

Wide blue eyes searched the dwarf lord’s face for the right words to say. “It was nothing, my Lord. It is the duty of those of us with healing abilities to help those in need.” He tried giving the dwarf a meek smile before returning to Kili’s bandages.

“But, wasn’t Kili’s a particularly difficult healing process? “ Bilbo piped in from the foot of the bed, rolling his fingers at his sides. “I’ve always been interested in Elvish medicine, exactly how does someone cross the bridge from the living to the dead to bring someone back?”

Kili swallowed before he turned huge, disbelieving eyes to his secret lover who was also wide eyed and blushing horribly. “You-you did that for me?” For a moment the young dwarf let the mask of unfamiliarity fall as he locked his eyes with the elven prince’s. “What if you hadn’t been able to find your way back?” He felt small tears prick at the corners of his eyes; he had had no idea how his beloved had brought him, but just that he had.

“Its not really that you were in the land of the dead, just on the edge of the land of the living and some of us are more capable of seeing that edge than others. That’s all.” The blond elf focused his attentions on his charge. He unwound the bandaging around the young brunet’s thigh where fresh blood had seeped through. “These stitches may have to be redone if you keep trying to get out of bed like you did this morning.” Legolas kept his focus on applying the salve to the closing wound, but a teasing smile played at his lips.

Thorin cleared his throat loudly, startling the young lovers out of their flirtations. “As I was saying,” He eyed his youngest nephew warily. “We are forever in debt to you. If ever there is anything that we can do for you, please do not hesitate to request it of one of us.” Thorin bowed his head, making a small sweeping motion with his arm.

“Thank you, my Lord.” The Prince of the Woodland Realm stood immediately and returned the King of Erebor’s dusting bow.

The raven heir felt his chest swell with pride as he watched his One trying so hard to embrace dwarvish custom. It was endearing and made Kili love him all the more. Love. He smiled to himself as he played the word over in his mind. He really did love the kind, intelligent, brave warrior kneeling at his side, gently mending him back together again with a loving hand.

Legolas rose after the last bandage was checked and bowed his farewell to all before leaving for his next patient. Kili felt his eyes linger on the tent flaps long after the ethereal creature had walked through them. He was utterly bewitched.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah...yes so...hear is the update you all have been (eagerly??) anticipating. I'm sorry if you are disappointed with the length of this addition as it is about a third of what I usually publish, but this fic has stressed me out so much, that I've really dwindled it down to two options: either remove the other chapter and leave it as a one shot or make smaller updates. If you have an opinion one way or another, I'd love to hear from you in the comment section. (I'm beginning to wonder if I've ruined it by making it multi-chapter??) ANyways, thank you so much for reading and commenting. I am amazed at how many hits this fic has gotten @-@ You guys are incredible~!

“Master dwarves?”

Bofur, Bifur and Ori all turned their attention to the elf that had just entered the dining tent. The benches gave a squeak when Bombur joined them with his own loaf of bread and two bowls of stew.

“Hello, elf prince.” Bofur was the first to speak, always the more outgoing of the group. “Care to join us for some good, old Blue Mountain stew?”

“Hannon le, thank you.” Legolas placed a hand to his breast, giving a curt bow before striding over and sitting with the dwarves. The benches were lower than he was used to and he smiled to himself when his knees touched the bottom of the table. Bofur smiled when he noticed it too.

“Bombur, get the lad-” The heavily mustached dwarf began.

“No, please, that will not be necessary,” Legolas interrupted. He cast his gaze downward, tracing the grain of the table with sharp eyes.

“Is it about Kili?” Bofur asked with another kind smile.

The elf’s head shot up, blue eyes wide. “How did..”

“We all know.” Bofur gestured to what of the company was present. “And its alright. We know how stubborn our raven prince can be,” He added with a wink ad a wry smile. “and we know that none other than the Maker himself could pry him from you.”

Legolas breathed a laugh, face shining with the light of elven joy. He tried to relax a bit more before he spoke, smiling gently. “Yes. I had hoped to ask a few questions about…dwarvish custom.”

“Is that little lout being rough on you?” Bombur piped in around a mouthful of stew. “He came of age right before the quest. Didn’t have time for ‘the talk’ his older brother got.” The rotund dwarf managed to chuckle.

The elf prince flushed a bright, glowing red. “No! No. He’s quite gentle…"He trailed off, fiddling with the ends of his platinum locks. The roar of laughter and guffaws followed by a couple of rough, but good natured slaps on the back, caught the young elf off guard. "A-anyways, I wanted to ask about marriage customs.”

The tent went silent for a moment. All the dwarves looked at each other, as if sharing silent words amongst themselves. Even Bifur, who normally lived happily in his own world, seemed to grasp the weight of the situation.

“Well, that is some serious talk, there.” Bofur said, resting his cheek on his hand. “What would you be doing with said information, quite private and well kept secret amongst our people I might add, if we were to give it to you?” He placed a look of almost skepticism on his usually jovial face.

Legolas swallowed thickly. “Its my intention to marry him.” The blonde said in earnest, making eye contact with every dwarf at the table. “But without your help, I fear it will be impossible. I need to prove myself.”

“Prove yourself?” Ori asked quietly, looking up from his quills and parchment.

“Yes, to your King and to your people. I want to learn as much as I can so that I can prove that I know and care about your, well, soon to be my own, culture and that this is not just some farce of the flesh among elvish and dwarvish princelings.” He tried to pour all of his conviction into his words as he spoke, hoping beyond hope that these dwarves would have pity on him, or at least desire enough to see their prince happy, that they would help him.

Bofur chuckled warmly. “Aye, laddy, we’ll help you. No need to act so formal. I’m Bofur, by the way.” He added with a profferred hand.

~

A few hence Kili’s awakening, he too was up and about with the aid of crutches and his brother. He spent his days wandering around helping where he could. Mostly he sat with a few other injured dwarves helping carve chair legs and bed frames for both the refugees of Erebor and Laketown. It was not much, the young dwarf desperately wished he could do more, but it was better than sitting in a silent tent all day.

Erebor was beginning to finally looking inhabitable again. Debris, dirt and cobwebs were being carried away by the cart full. Apparently the kings’ and princes’ private quarters had been the first to be cleared and redecorated, unsurprisingly, and were more than what either of them could have ever imagined for themselves, according to Fili. Some of the clothing of princes past had somehow survived being moth eaten or had fallen to the hands of time and were being prepared for the proper coronation of the young princes.

Kili still could not wrap his mind around being a royal. He knew he was, but it had always just been in name alone, his pride no different from the average dwarf. But now, sitting on a stool, birch branch in hand, at the base of the mountain that was to be his home, he could almost feel it, like an summer breeze blowing through his hair, warm and almost familiar. For a moment his chest swelled with pride thinking of how hard the mountain had been to win.

The brunet rose and made to walk about for a bit, stretching his aching leg. He had not realized to what extent his back had been injured until he had tried to lift a stool to have a seat with the other craftsmen his first day and he had felt a shooting pain run up his spine, followed by a numbness in his left hand. It went almost as soon as it came, but it still troubled him; what if he was no longer able to work the forge? What if he were never able to use a bow again?

“How are you today, Lord Kili?” A soft, cheerful voice called to him.

Kili turned to see Tauriel, the she-elf from Legolas’ battalion, standing just behind him. “Hello, Tauriel. I am well today. And you?”

“I am well, thank you. I tried calling to you a moment ago, but you seemed lost in thought…” The red head walked over to Kili’s side, joining him in his walk.

“I was just thinking…” Kili looked down at the trodden earth and gravel beneath his boots.

“About Lord Legolas?” Tauriel asked with a teasing lilt and a bump to Kili’s shoulder.

“Not exactly,” Kili offered a playful smile of his own. “But now that you have mentioned him, I have some questions I would ask of you.”

“Questions?” The she elf looked down, kicking away a pebble from their path, trying to hide the giddy smile forming across her kind face.

“About certain elvish customs.” The brunet dwarf paused, trying to decide the best way to word his thoughts. He decided forwardness was best. “ Marriage customs.”

“Ooh I had hoped you would ask me!” The smile she had been trying to hold back, burst forth and she giggled, actually giggled, like a girl child. “Naethon, I am sorry, mellon, I am just so happy for you both.” She flushed the peach warmth of embarrassment.

“It is alright.” Kili laughed as well. “It is good to have someone else on our side. I fear we will need all the help we can get.”

“What would you like to know?” The she elf asked, continuing on.

“About…courting?” It was the young dwarf’s turn to blush. “Marriage customs? Anything a lovestruck dwarf might need to know to court an elf prince?”

“Well,” Tauriel stroked at her chin as she thought. “Elves do not really have grand ceremonies. We believe that marriage, well, we call it binding, is a private moment shared between two lovers.”

“So who officiates the binding then? How will everyone know that the couple have been wed?” Kili asked, head cocked to the side.

“Occasionally, with royalty, the king will oversee the binding, but not always. There is usually a grand party following the binding ceremony to announce the couple to the realm. But this is just with our royalty; a couple who is lowborn will usually celebrate amongst their own kin.” She smiled softly as she spoke.

“But, what is binding? Is it a exchange of vows? Rings?” The dwarf was still utterly confused.

At this, Tauriel flushed brightly again, looking off into the distance. “Ah, well,” she started, awkwardly. “Its more of an exchange of flesh…”

“Oh.” Kili’s eyes went wide a bit, feeling himself blush again. “And if the couple has already done that?” He scratched nervously at his unbraided hair.

The red head’s eyes went impossibly wide, the shade of her skin something more akin to an apple or a cherry. “You–? You already…” She gestured with her hands to fill in her meaning.

“Ah…yeah.” The brunet admitted quietly.

“Did you exchange blood too?” She asked, still flustered by the new revelation.

“No? Are we supposed to?”

“Yes. Usually, the couple will cut their palms and during the, uhm binding, their palms are joined, sharing their life force and attuning their magical energy with one another.” Tauriel laid her hands together, palms facing on another, to show the young dwarf.

“So,” Kili drew in a deep, steadying breath. “How do I ask for his hand?”

Tauriel’s smile grew at this. “We sing.”

~

Kili sat nervously beside his brother that night in the feasting tent. Thorin sat at the head, to the left of Thranduil and Fili was to the dwarf king’s left. He looked up and down the table, glad to find the company and Bilbo just a few places down from himself. To Thranduil’s right, sat Legolas, his eyes alight with the sweetness of a smile when he caught Kili’s gaze as he took his place.

The noise of everyone’s various conversations took off as soon as the plates were served and everyone had tucked in. Kili just merely moved his food around his plate, he did not have much of an appetite. He cast nervous eyes around, looking for, ah, there she was, Tauriel. With a wink and a nod, she took her place beside Legolas at the table. He glanced quickly at Bofur, Ori and Bombur and gave them a nod. The dwarf prince swallowed thickly and rose, downing his ale in one gulp.

“Excuse me! Lasto iestin, din.” As Kili spoke that one phrase in Elvish, everyone fell silent and all eyes were suddenly on him. He took a steadying breath, trying to recall what to say next. “I-I offer this, this courtship ballad, to Legolas of Mirkwood, for my heart has been yours since the day I first laid eyes on you.” As he spoke, Bofur and Ori climbed onto the table, clarinet and flute in hand; Bombur stood on the ground beside them with his drum.

Thorin rose quickly in his chair, seething with rage. “Kili–!”

“Uncle, stop.” Fili placed his hand quickly on Thorin’s forearm, keeping him in place for a moment. “Let Kili speak.”

“Now now,” Bilbo was suddenly at the dwarf king’s side, patting his hand. “Lets just hear what he has to say, Thorin.” He coaxed Thorin into sitting back down. “Now is not the time or place to make such a scene, either.” The hobbit added with a tilt of his head to the elven king Thranduil who was watching things play out with an arch of one of this heavy brows.

“Uh, well,” Kili cleared his throat, signaling his friends to begin playing, before continuing again. “Thîr vain lín darn thûl nín~ Hin lín bain sui Ithilgalad buin AearGerich~ ‘ûn sui raw~ Le maethor veleg a gornui~ Le uivelin~ Guren min gaim lín~ Orthach 'uren ir tirach enni ~ Estelion allen~ Estelio enni~ [Your beautiful face took my breath away ~ Your eyes are as beautiful as moonlight on the Sea ~you have the heart of a lion~ you are a mighty warrior~I will always love you ~ My heart is in your hands ~ You lift up my heart when you look at me ~I trust in you ~ Trust in me ~]” The young prince tried to keep from lowering his head in embarrassment as his song came to an end.

Taking a quick glance around the table, the elves were stunned, whether it was from his less than perfect singing voice or simply from the fact that he wanted to court their prince, he was not sure. The dwarves on the other hand were talking in harsh whispers among themselves, some casting glares at him, like Thorin, and some, like Bofur and most of the company, were actually smiling and making encouraging gestures. 

Kili worriedly turned his gaze to the head of the table where his, until now, secret love sat. His beautiful blue eyes were wide and glistening with tears. Legolas sat motionless for a moment before the softest of sighs could be heard falling from his full lips. The elf prince leaned over nad whispered to his father, a quick private council Kili assumed, all good he hoped, before he rose elegant as ever and spoke.

“Laer lín matha faeren [Your song touches my spirit],” Legolas said softly, gaze full of tender affection as it fell upon Kili. “And, my father and I both find you an acceptable suitor.” His ethereal face fell into heart clenching smile as sparkling tears ran down his flushed cheeks.

Kili felt as if time had stopped. Had he heard right? Even Thranduil approved of their union? The cold elven king had been his biggest fear now sat with a gentle smile playing on his lips. He gave the slightest of bows to the dwarf. 

“Come,” Thranduil said, commanding voice ringing out in the silence. “Prepare a space for young Lord Kili here by my son. Let us all eat and drink to this joyous occasion.” He stood and raised his glass in a toast. The other elves hurried to stand as well and raise their glasses before taking a long drink. 

As Kili pulled his crutches under his arms to make his way to his beloved, now his betrothed, Fili, with a huge smile plastered on his face and Bilbo, who looked a bit pale, came to his sides.

“I am happy for you brother!” Fili roared with a well mannered punch to the arm and knocked their foreheads together. 

“Congratulations, dear boy.” Bilbo said with a kind smile, giving Kili a good squeeze.

“Thank you. Both of you…” Kili smiled big and bright, tears threatening to fall from his sable colored eyes. That is, until he looked up and saw Thorin. His uncle’s brow was lowered, darkened with menacing intent, his knuckles pale from grasping his chair so tightly and the young dwarf could almost hear his jaw grinding. He swallowed, but gathered himself and stood tall, proud of himself and the rightness of his decision. He would not let his Uncle win this time.

As he made his way around the table, Kili felt someone grasp his wrist. Thorin jerked him close, whispering heatedly into his ear. “We will talk about this. I will not allow it.” Thorin rose after that and took his leave, Bilbo close behind him, leaving Kili with a sinking sense of dread. But he plastered a huge smile on his face as he took his seat next to Legolas and took his hand into his own.

“I have never been so happy, meleth nin!” The elf prince spoke excitedly, deep saphire eyes locking with golden amber. “Your song was beautiful! Where did you learn that much elvish?”

“I had a little help from a friend.” Kili smiled lopsided and nodded in Tauriel’s direction.

“I shall have to thank her then.” Legolas smiled as he leaned over and planted a soft kiss to the dwarf prince’s cheek. “Amin mella le…” He whispered on sweet breath.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr for Hobbit and general Tolkien fan work: http://violette-pleasures.tumblr.com/  
> My main tumblr: http://violette-opalescence.tumblr.com/


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